> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.megaport.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Creating a Google Cloud Services Connection for an MVE with Palo Alto VM-Series
> This help topic describes how to provision connections between MVE and Google Cloud Services and integrate the connection with Palo Alto VM-Series.
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You can create a network connection from an MVE (a Palo Alto VM-Series) to Google Cloud through Partner Interconnect.
When connecting to Google Cloud Platform (GCP) through Partner Interconnect with Megaport, the Virtual Cross Connect (VXC) forms the Layer 2 component of the connection and Layer 3 BGP is established directly between the customer and GCP.
Before you begin, create an MVE (VM-Series firewall). For more information, see [Creating an MVE](/mve/palo-alto/creating-mve). The MVE needs to be in the active state.
There are three parts to adding a Google Cloud connection to your MVE and VM-Series.
1. Create a Partner Interconnect attachment in Google Cloud Console or gcloud CLI. Copy the pairing key that is provided as part of the attachment creation.
For additional details, see the Google documentation on [Google Partner Interconnects](https://cloud.google.com/interconnect/docs/how-to/partner/provisioning-overview).
2. In the Megaport Portal, create a VXC from your MVE to connect to your Google Cloud attachment.
3. In VM-Series, create a new interface and add the details of the Google Cloud connection.
These instructions step through the second and third parts.
MVE for Palo Alto VM-Series requires configuration steps in both VM-Series and the Megaport Portal for all cloud connections.
## Adding the Google Cloud connection in the Megaport Portal
To set up the GCP connection, you need to create the connection in the Megaport Portal.
**To create a connection to GCP from the Megaport Portal**
1. In the Megaport Portal, go to the **Services** page and select the MVE for the connection.
2. Click **+Connection** then click **Cloud**.
3. Select Google as the provider.
To check the latency and price of connecting to a particular Google location, click **View all Google Partner locations**. You can proceed to the Connection Details page without a pairing key and review the pricing of the selected port. To place an order for a Google connection, you need to provide a pairing key.
4. Copy and paste the pairing key from the Google Cloud console into the Google Partner Pairing Key field.\
The relevant Google targets appear based on the region of your GCI Partner connection.
5. Select the target location for your connection then click **Next**.
6. Specify the connection details:
* **Connection Name** -- The name of your VXC to be shown in the Megaport Portal.
* **Service Level Reference** (optional) -- Specify a unique identifying number for your Megaport service to be used for billing purposes, such as a cost center number, unique customer ID, or purchase order number. The service level reference number appears for each service under the Product section of the invoice. You can also edit this field for an existing service.
* **Rate Limit** -- The speed of your connection in Mbps. Enter the same rate you selected for your Google port speed.
* **VXC State** -- Select **Enabled** or **Shut Down** to define the initial state of the connection. For more information, see [Shutting Down a VXC for Failover Testing](/connections/shut-down-vxc).
If you select **Shut Down**, traffic will not flow through this service and it will behave as if it was down on the Megaport network. Billing for this service will remain active and you will still be charged for this connection.
* **A-End vNIC** -- Select an A-End vNIC from the drop-down list. For more information about vNICs, see [Creating an MVE in the Megaport Portal](/mve/palo-alto/creating-mve#creating-mve).
* **Preferred A-End VLAN** -- The VLAN for this connection that you will receive through the MVE. This must be a unique VLAN ID on this MVE and can range from 2 to 4093. If you specify a VLAN ID that is already in use, the system displays the next available VLAN number. The VLAN ID must be unique to proceed with the order. If you don't specify a value, Megaport will assign one.
* **Minimum Term** -- Select No Minimum Term, 12 Months, 24 Months, 36 Months, 48 Months, or 60 Months. Longer terms result in a lower monthly rate. *12 Months* is selected by default. Take note of the information on the screen to avoid early termination fees (ETF).
Enable the [Minimum Term Renewal](/portal-admin/auto-renew/#auto-renew) option for services with a 12, 24, 36, 48 or 60-month term to automatically renew the contract at the same discounted price and term length at the end of the contract. If you don't renew the contract, at the end of the term, the contract will automatically roll over to month-to-month contract for the following billing period, at the same price, without term discounts.
For more information, see [VXC Pricing and Contract Terms](/finance/vxc-pricing) and [VXC, Megaport Internet, and IX Billing](/finance/billing-details).
* **Resource Tags** -- You can use resource tags to add your own reference metadata to a Megaport service.\
To add a tag:
1. Click **Add Tags**.
2. Click **Add New Tag**.
3. Enter details into the fields:
* **Key** -- string maximum length 128. Valid values are a-z 0-9 \_ : . / \ -
* **Value** -- string maximum length 256. Valid values are a-z A-Z 0-9 \_ : . @ / + \ - (space)
4. Click **Save**.
If you already have resource tags for that service, you can manage them by clicking **Manage Tags**.
Never include sensitive information in a resource tag. Sensitive information includes commands that return existing tag definitions and information that will identify a person or company.
7. Click **Next** to proceed to the connection detail summary, then click **Add VXC**.
8. Click **Review Order** to proceed through the checkout process, or click **Save** to save the configured services before placing the order.
9. Review the Important Information section and confirm agreement with the Service Agreements.
If you do not have a promotion code, skip to the **Order Now** step. If you do have a promotion code, enter it into the **Enter discount code** field then click **Apply**. Alternatively, if a code already appears in the **Discounts** field, verify it is correct and click **Apply**.
The promotional discount appears below the Standard Term discount. This discount is not reflected in the Monthly Rate shown here, it is applied at the time of billing. If an invalid or expired code causes an error with your order, contact your Megaport Account Manager for a replacement code.
If you entered an incorrect promotion code, you can remove it by clicking **Remove**.
10. Click **Order Now**.
11. Once you have deployed the VXC, go back to your attachment in the Google Cloud Console and accept the attachment.\
You will be provided your private IP address from Google to configure BGP.\
Ensure that you pre-activate the attachment or mark the attachment as active after configuring the VXC. Otherwise, you cannot set up BGP with your SD-WAN instance.
The Google ASN will always be 16550.
## Adding the Google Cloud connection to VM-Series
After you create the connection from your MVE to Google Cloud and set up the connection in the Google console, you need to configure it in VM-Series. This involves configuring BGP settings, ASNs, and VLANs.
**To add the Google Cloud connection in VM-Series**
1. Collect the connection details from the Google console.\
Display the details of the connection you created in Google Cloud for this connection. Note the values for the **Peer ASN**, **Cloud Router BGP IP**, and **BGP Peer ID**.
2. Collect the connection details from the Megaport Portal.\
Click the gear icon for the Google connection from your MVE and click the Details view. Note the value for the **A-End VLAN**.
3. Log in to the VM-Series.
4. Choose Network > Interfaces.
5. Select the A-End MVE (`ethernet1/1`).
6. Click **Add Subinterface**.
7. Provide these details:
* **Interface Name** -- Enter a name for the subinterface. In the adjacent field, enter a number to identify the subinterface.
* **Comment** -- Enter an alternate name.
* **Tag** -- Specify the A-End VLAN associated with this Google Connection in the Megaport Portal.
* **Virtual Router** -- Select a virtual router to the interface, as required by your network.
8. Select the **IPv4** tab.
9. Select **Static** as the Type.
10. Click **+Add** to add a new IP address.
11. Enter the IPv4 address and netmask.\
These values are available in the VLAN attachment details in the Google Cloud console. The IP address appears in the **BGP Peer IP** field.
12. Click **OK**.
13. Click **Commit** in the top right corner.
14. Review the changes and click **Commit**.
The new VLAN interface appears with your `ethernet1/1` physical interface.
Next, you will create a security zone so the interface can route traffic.
**To create a security zone**
1. Select the `ethernet1/1.1010` subinterface.
2. Select New Zone from the Security Zone drop-down list.
3. Specify a name for the security zone.
4. Click **+Add** under Interfaces and add `ethernet1/1.1010` to the security zone.
5. Specify any additional details as required for your network security.
6. Select New Zone Protection Profile from the Zone Protection Profile drop-down list.
7. Specify any details as required for your network security. This example uses all the defaults.
8. Click **OK**.
9. Click **OK** in the Layer3 Subinterface screen.
10. Click **Commit** in the top right corner.
11. Review the changes and click **Commit**.
At this point, you have created the interface. Next, you will create the BGP session.
**To create the BGP session**
1. In VM-Series, choose Network > Virtual Routers.
2. Select the virtual router.
3. In the left pane, select BGP.
4. Provide the following BGP details:
* **Enable** -- Select this check box to start the BGP session after committing these changes.
* **Router ID** -- Specify the **Cloud Router BGP IP** from the VLAN attachment details in the Google Cloud console.
* **AS Number** -- Provide the ASN for the MVE connection. Specify the **Peer ASN** that you defined in the BGP configuration for the VLAN attachment in the Google Cloud console.
5. Click **+Add** under Auth Profiles.
6. Specify a Profile Name.
7. Enter and confirm the auth password.
8. Click **OK**.
9. Select the **Peer Group** tab.
10. Click **+Add** to add a peer group.
11. Specify a name for the peer group. For example, AWS-xxxx.
12. Specify eBGP as the session type.
13. Specify any additional details as required for your network.
14. Click **+Add** to add a new peer.
15. Specify the details for the peer:
* **Name** -- Specify a name for the peer.
* **Peer AS** -- Specify the Google-side autonomous system number (ASN) of 16550. This is a fixed value, and appears in the connection details on the Google console.
* **Local Address** -- Select the proper subinterface and IP address from the drop-down list.
* **Peer Address** -- Enter the **Cloud Router BGP IP** from the VLAN attachment details in the Google Cloud console.
Google Cloud requires BGP multihop support. You can configure multihop support from VM-Series, in the Connection Options tab of the BGP peer:
## Validating your Google Cloud connection
**To check the status of the BGP peer**
1. Choose Network > Virtual Routers.
2. Locate your virtual router (default).
3. Click **More Runtime Stats** in the Runtime Stats column on the right.
4. Select the **BGP** tab, and then select the **Peer** tab.
5. Verify that the peer status is *Established*.